Rugby fan Hunt aims to convert displays into wins

Welsh professional Toby Hunt admits he will continue to ‘beat himself up’ as he believes it can only help improve his game.

Hunt will make the seamless transition from PGA Assistant to the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship Final when he tees off in the £78,000 grand final which takes place between June 13-16 at Luttrellstown Castle Golf & Country Club in Co Dublin, Ireland.

The St Mellons Golf Club player finished joint third in last year’s PGA Assistants’ Final at Little Aston in Birmingham.

An impressive final round of 67 took him to within four shots of topping the leaderboard.

But the Cardiff Blues rugby fan was frustrated he could not convert his display into a better overall finish - and is still re-running shots in his mind 12 months on.

And he says it is that determination to better himself that will drive him.

“Last year was a good confidence booster for me, it was a shame not to win but the guy Matthew Webb who won played very well,” he said.

“I thought I played quite well but didn’t hole enough putts, my boss Barry Thomas was caddying for me and saying it was the best I’d ever hit the ball, but it wasn’t going in.

“Some of the shots I hit in that tournament, I’ll still remember years on.

“One or two of them stick in the mind, it’s a shame I couldn’t convert some of them into birdies or eagles.”

Hunt, the Junior Wales Open champion in 2011, admits he is hard on himself for good reason.

“I want to improve and be one of the best in this region because I want to progress on to more renowned Tours, to not be complacent is a good thing,” he said.

But Hunt says that once he has packed his clubs away - he prefers to relax by switching off from golf.

“I’m not your traditional PGA Professional, I don’t watch a lot of golf on TV, I play golf for a living - I don’t particularly want to go home and watch it,” he added.

“I’d much rather watch Cardiff Blues or Wales rugby, and I’m quite happy to see all of the Welsh sides do well.

“But I like being in the position I am to be able to play golf and teach it.”

Hunt qualified for the Luttrellstown Castle final at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset where he finished in the three-way tie for top spot.

“When I get to Ireland it’ll be case of booking in a couple of practice rounds and when it comes to the tournament I’ll be doing my best to win,” he said.

Other players from Wales taking part at Luttrellstown Castle include: Matthew Dearden (Vale Resort); Owen Evans (PT Golf); Gareth Wright (West Linton Golf Club); Kristian Crane (Cotswold Edge Golf Club); Andrew Pestell (Chelmsford Golf Club) and Garry Houston (Carden Park Golf).